Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Chizik reacts to HBO special

Here's Auburn coach Gene Chizik opening statement following Wednesday night's practice about pay for play allegations on the HBO special:

“Let me start out first by addressing a tv show that is probably airing right now In regards to four former players here at Auburn. When I was the defensive coordinator here from 2002 to 2004, all of the allegations that are out there on this particular show I can assure you, in my three previous years here as an assistant, I had no knowledge of any of that stuff.“Moving forward to being head coach here now at Auburn that’s not what we do here, that’s not what who we are, that’s not what we stand for. That’s not how this program is going to be run. I feel very strongly about that. It’s sad to me, it’s very sad to me, that HBO is going to go ahead and air something that, really admittably, they’ve got no proof on anything. What’s disturbing to me is that they interviewed other former Auburn football players who had exactly the opposite to say but somehow or another that failed to make the air, unless I missed that section. So I’ve got other former players that are calling me who are still playing and who are great players who had absolutely no knowledge of any of that stuff. So it saddens me that somebody is going to air a show with basically one side being known. I think that’s pathetic. And I think it’s pure garbage. So I feel really good about how this football program and this athletic department is being run. I feel great about the reputation we’re trying tro build here. Again I think that’s very clear about how I feel about it and I won’t spend any more time on it.”